Japan

Hitachi to build 5MW turbine

JAPAN: Hitachi is planning to build a 5MW version of the 2MW turbine design the company acquired from Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) wind division earlier this year.

The Hitachi 2MW turbines at the Kamisu near-shore project

According to the Japan Times, the 5MW turbine will be used for offshore locations. The 2MW machine is primarily an onshore machine. It is best-known for being used on the Kamisu wind near shore project that withstood the last year's magnitude-9, March 11 tremor that triggered the Fukushima tsunami.

The Hitachi/FHI 2MW turbine uses a 'downwind' design, catching from behind the rotor. Hitachi said the turbine was better suited to unpredictable weather conditions and offered better protection against typhoons.

Hitachi acquired FHI's wind division in April. At the time, Hitachi said it planned to expand the wind division once it has been fully integrated. The deal was completed on 1 July.

The turbine is also slated for use by a consortium led by investment bank Marubeni that is developing an offshore wind farm off Fukushima prefecture by 2016.

The so-called Fukushima Recovery Floating Wind Farm Pilot Project will run in two phases; the first involves installation of the Fuji turbine and a substation, while the second will see two 7MW turbines added. There is speculation the latter will be produced by Mitsubishi.